Nashville, Tenn. – On Wednesday, Boxtorow released its annual HBCU FCS Coaches Poll and Tennessee State was selected third.

TSU was pegged behind Bethune-Cookman and Arkansas-Pine Bluff even though the Tigers defeated both team last year by a combined 34 points.

The Wildcats and Tigers open their seasons on Sunday, September 1 in the John Merritt Classic at LP Field in Nashville. The team that has finished the season No. 1 in the poll has never lost its opening game.

The good news for TSU, is that no preseason No.1 team has ever finished in the top spot at the end of the year.

The Boxtorow HBCU FCS coaches’ poll is administered by FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW and is voted on by the HBCU Football Championship Subdivision coaches.

Boxtorow also selected five Tigers to its All-American Team, the most of any other team.